The Little Paris Bookshop revolves around a man who considers himself a 'literary apothecary' and has a talent for prescribing the exact book to mend a customer's heart and soul. I think it’s a fascinating concept. I hope these books might be just thing to heal some hearts and souls during this uncertain time.
Feeling isolated? If sheltering in place leaves you feeling isolated you may find the characters in these novels relatable.
Left stranded on Mars, astronaut Mark Watney may be literature's most isolated character. Spend some time with Mark and his disco music collection as he tries to figure out how to survive and make it back home.
It won't appeal to everyone but I love this weird, dark novel about a housesitter, cats, and some very delicate floors.
Perhaps you're feeling grumpy? Under the current circumstances, it's understandable. Try one of these titles to lift your mood or commiserate with some fellow grumps.
I believe books do have healing power and I’m fascinated by the concept of bibliotherapy also known as book therapy. Book therapists tailor reading suggestions for mental well-being and can recommend books for things like anxiety, bereavement, or career issues. FCPL doesn’t offer bibliotherapy, but we hope you’ll enjoy these reading suggestions based on emotions many of us may be experiencing right now.
Feeling powerless? These fun reads may help you tackle the day.
I suspect many mothers will relate to the women in this story who find strength in numbers and in themselves.
Holes by Louis Sachar Why let kids have all the fun? Holes is a great story that readers of any age will appreciate. Read it with your kids or read it for yourself. Also available as an eBook and eAudiobook.
Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff
This one's for you if you've ever fantasized about turning the tables on the bad guys with the physics-defying arsenal of video games.
Galactic Pot-Healer by Philip K. Dick One can never tell who might need to save the world. This deliciously weird, fun read is packed with insights. Feeling distracted? For a book lover, feeling too distracted to read makes self-isolating even worse. Try one of these suspenseful and compelling reads to get your reading game back on.
The One by John Marrs
Experiencing social media overload? The One may be a cautionary tale for our age.
A soap-opera in a novel. Indulge! Available as an eBook and eAudiobook.
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin Rereading a childhood favorite can sometimes be just what you need. The Westing Game would be my choice. Browse our Teen and Kids booklists to find books that appeal to you. Also available as an eBook from our digital catalog. While our branches remain closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic, patrons may place holds for items and pick them up using our contact-free curbside service. Our digital catalog is always open, so you can download and enjoy eBooks and eAudiobooks anytime.
Have you ever looked at bestselling authors and wondered, “How do they do it? How do they keep their readers turning pages?”
Forsyth County Public Library is giving you a peek behind the curtain as USA Today bestselling romance author Tracy Solheim explains all the tips and tricks you need to know about plot, pacing, and point-of-view in a free 90-minute webinar on Sunday, June 28 at 2:00 p.m.
The webinar is open to both experienced and novice writers who want to learn how to write more effectively for different sub-genres of romance, how to use pacing to advance the plot, and how to keep readers engaged with the story all the way through happily ever after.
“Not Just Happily Ever After” is part of the library’s on-going Forsyth Writes Together series for local writers and aspiring authors. The webinar is sponsored by the FCPL Friends & Advocates.
Grandude brightens a dreary weekend for his visiting grandchildren, Lucy, Tom, Em, and Bob, by using his magic compass and postcards to take them on adventures around the world.
Early Readers
Sam and Charlie (and Sam Too!) by Leslie Kimmelman When Charlie moves next door to Sam, he's thrilled to have a new friend--even if she is a girl. Charlie has a little sister, also named Sam--or Sam Too, as the other Sam comes to call her. Both Sam and Charlie (and Sam Too) are Jewish, and they try to live by the religion's motto: Love your neighbor as yourself.
King & Kayla and the Case of the Missing Dog Treats by Dori Hillestad Butler King's human, Kayla, has baked some treats for a friend's new puppy, Thor, but some go missing and it is up to King to find the culprit.
eMaterials, including eBooks and eAudiobooks, are among the most popular items at Forsyth County Public Library. eBooks and eAudiobooks may be accessed from the comfort of home, and can be used with a variety of devices. We would like to take this opportunity to provide some information about one of the fastest growing areas of public libraries.
The majority of eBooks at Forsyth County Public Library are available through OverDrive. The mobile app for OverDrive is called Libby. eAudiobooks are available through both OverDrive and RBDigital. Almost all new eAudiobook purchases are now being made through OverDrive. OverDrive and RBDigital are both linked through the Forsyth County Public Library website or through the Libby or RBDigital apps on your favorite device.
eAudiobooks are very popular with Forsyth County Public Library patrons. Many eAudiobook listeners enjoy them while on a long commute, and others listen while they shop, watch a sporting practice, or on a walk through a public park. eBooks are popular as well, and have seen a large increase in usage during the COVID-19 outbreak. Many patrons like to use eBooks while traveling due to their device often being smaller, thinner, and more portable than a traditional print book.
As of May 2020, Forsyth County Public Library has a collection of more than 13,000 eAudiobooks through OverDrive and RBDigital, and a collection of more than 16,500 eBooks through OverDrive. Since July 1, 2019, Forsyth County Public Library has purchased 1,364 eAudiobooks in OverDrive and RBDigital, and 3,390 eBooks in OverDrive.
The demand for eMaterials can create wait times and holds lists, just as with print materials. Forsyth County Public Library works to lower these hold wait times as much as possible. One challenge with this, as compared with a print book, is the relative cost of an eBook. eBook, and eAudiobook, prices charged to public libraries are often much more expensive than prices for eMaterials and print materials charged to the public at large. eAudiobooks may be available to patrons through a private subscription service for a few dollars a month. However, one copy of a popular eAudiobook title as sold to public libraries can even be well over $100.00. The popular title by James Patterson, House of Kennedy, sells for $65.00 per copy. These prices can often make buying multiple copies of a particular title to reduce wait times challenging due to budget constraints.
Another challenge with eBooks and eAudiobooks is that eVendors often do not sell public libraries permanent copies of a title, but titles that are metered by time or usage. These titles have a limited access, such as two years from date of purchase, or are limited to 26 checkouts. After these limits, or meters, are reached, the particular copy of a title disappears from the library’s collection unless it is purchased again. The prevalence of metered copies is on the rise. Several years ago, Penguin/Random House set the prices on almost all of their eBooks to two years of access for $55.00 per copy. The price charged per title, and any meters associated with it, are set by the individual publishers of the particular books. An eBook that is priced for $9.99 is much easier for the library to buy copies of than one that is priced at $55.00.
Not all items are available in eBook or eAudiobook. Older items that are out of print may often be unavailable through eBook or eAudiobook. Some new releases from small publishers are also often unavailable in an electronic format. And due to licensing rights, some electronic versions of titles are only available through certain vendors. One reason Forsyth County Public Library has eAudiobooks through both OverDrive and RBDigital is to gain access to eAudiobook content that is exclusive to one of the respective platforms.
Patrons can request eBooks or eAudiobooks just as they can print materials. Please go to the Suggest an Item for Purchase link under the Reader’s Corner page on the Forsyth County Public Library website.
You know that feeling when you're watching a movie and your mouth starts watering? I get it too! Well great news, below are the tools to cook recipes from those movies you love.
FILM: Julie & Julia
Become an at-home master of French cooking with Julia Child's cookbook as you read the true story of Julie Powell's challenge to cook every one of the 524 recipes of Julia Child's cookbook in only one year!
The Improbability of Love is the perfect mix of art, love, mystery, and murder. Add an impoverished painter, a creative chef, a father-daughter team of cutthroat dealers, a Russian oligarch, a desperate auctioneer, an American socialite, and a flamboyant confidante to the über-wealthy for a fast-paced journey between 18th century Paris, World War II Berlin, and the art world of modern-day London. You’ll also learn a bit along the way about the famous but tragic painter Jean-Antoine Watteau, the Rococo period, and the fascinating world of art collecting.
The story unfolds when a down on her luck chef buys a grimy painting in a secondhand store and sets in motion a scramble to identify the artist and its provenance. Every owner, including the chef, has had a passion for the painting and a troubled past with love. The reader is clued into the history of the painting, also titled The Improbability of Love, when it takes on the role of narrator. (Once you’ve adjusted to the idea of a talking painting, you’ll look forward to its observations sprinkled throughout the novel.) The painting is eventually offered at auction and the whole art world is a buzz with the prospects of a record sale price and the reader is rewarded with a tale of true love.
Although, this is the first work of fiction for Hannah Rothschild, be assured the author knows her stuff; as a trustee of the Tate Gallery and the first woman chair of the National Gallery in London, she also writes for British Vanity Fair, Vogue, The Independent, and The Spectator. If you enjoy this novel, try her next one,House of Trelawney.
Selling a boat? Need a will? Hiring a nanny? Then you would be wise to document the terms of your agreement with the right legal form to protect your legal interests.
Don’t make the mistake of failing to "Put it in Writing". Failure to have agreements in writing leads to needless disputes and misunderstandings, as well as failure to provide a remedy. Many contracts must be in writing to be legal and enforceable.
Gale Legal Forms is available free to patrons for a variety of business, personal, litigation, and federal needs. Many can be downloaded to Microsoft Word and ready for the easy addition of your specific terms.
Need more information?
There are also sections on Legal Definitions, Helpful Topics like animal law and lemon law, and Legal Q and A. Legal Q & A are sample questions and answers for various states and should be used for informational purposes only. All answers provide legal information, not legal advice.
Need an attorney instead? This resource also includes an Attorney Directory.
The Attorney Directory is a unique listing of attorneys by state who have agreed to offer their services at some of the most competitive rates available today. The Attorney Directory is a good place to quickly get in touch with attorneys who can help you. Lawyers can assist you with everything from basic legal form preparation to complex representation.
Warning: Public users should consult an attorney in their state for serious legal matters.
To Access Gale Legal Forms:
Start from the library website: https://www.forsythpl.org/ Click on eResources; Law and Government; then Gale Legal Forms. Log in with your library card number, PIN, and the Galileo password provided. For forms specific to Forsyth County, access the Forsyth County Law Library. Forsyth County residents can apply online for a free library card.
Timequake by Kurt Vonnegut
Would you like to relive the 1990s? The characters in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Timequake do exactly that and find they don't enjoy it much. Timequake is a pointedly humorous look a fictional worldwide disruption, a timequake that jumps from February 2001 to February 1991 and forces everyone to relieve the prior decade–mistakes, catastrophes, and all--without any deviation from the original. Written in 1997, the novel focuses on the lives of individuals, including author Kurt Vonnegut and one of his most memorable characters, the fictional author, Kilgore Trout. The story blends intellectual observations and autobiographical anecdotes with Vonnegut’s unique brand of wry humor.
Hey Tweens and Teens! Are you looking for something new to read? Check out these amazing options available in print for Contact-Free Curbside Pickup and in eBook format to check out from home! Teen Middle (Grades 6-8)
Sixteen-year-old Kai, a magician's apprentice and former street tough, must travel to the Phoenix Empire, where his friend Princess Lian is studying statecraft, and help her escape so she can return home before her father, the king, dies. (Also available on OverDrive Teens.)
Bluefish by Pat Schmatz Everything changes for thirteen-year-old Travis, a new student who is trying to hide a learning disability, when he meets a remarkable teacher and a sassy classmate with her own secrets. (Also available on OverDrive Teens.)
Teen High (Grades 9-12) The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare and Wesley Chu High Warlock Magnus Bane learns that a demon-worshipping cult, the Crimson Hand, is wreaking havoc across Europe, threatening more than just his romantic getaway with new boyfriend, Alec Lightwood. (Also available on OverDrive Teens.) Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff
Sixteen-year-old Boy Nobody, an assassin controlled by a shadowy government organization, The Program, considers sabotaging his latest mission because his target reminds him of the normal life he craves. (Also available on OverDrive Teens.) If you would like more personalized recommendations, fill out our Teen Personalized Recommendation Form and our staff will e-mail you a list of titles we think will interest you! Not sure what you want to read? You can also request Librarian Picks for Contact-Free Curbside Pickup through the Curbside Pickup Request Form! Tell us your interests and we'll select up to 10 items based off you preferences to pickup at your appointment time.
Stephani Lindsey
Advance registration for Forsyth County Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Fun program is now open and participants of all ages can register online. Participants may begin tracking reading and activities to earn badges and points on Friday, May 22.
Based on current recommendations for social distancing in the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, Summer Reading Fun will take place online only.
“We were really looking forward to spending the summer with everyone at the library, but we’re working to transition many of the scheduled events and performances to be delivered online instead,” says Programming Manager Tracy Walker.
The theme for this year’s Summer Reading Fun program is “Imagine Your Story.”
“We are grateful to our patrons for the support they’ve given to our online programming so far and we hope our slate of online programs inspire them to imagine new stories all summer long,” adds Walker.
All summer programs for kids and adults will be presented online and advance registration will be required for select events. Participation in all online events will be free.
Library patrons can register to participate in Summer Reading Fun through July 31.
Patrons who participated in Summer Reading Fun 2019, Winter Reading Fun 2020, or 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, will not need to create a new account on Beanstack. They can simply sign into their existing account and select the Summer Reading Fun 2020 program.
Patrons who are participating for the first time should create an account on Beanstack by clicking “Register an Individual or Family.” Parents and caregivers can create their own accounts, then create and manage reading accounts for their children by clicking the arrow next to your name in the upper left hand corner of the screen and then “Add a Reader.”
If you have questions about creating an account or registering for Summer Reading Fun 2020, please call 770-781-9840 or Ask a Librarian.
Earn Points May 22 – July 31
Summer Reading Fun participants can use the Beanstack app for Apple or Android devices to track books read, activities completed, and badges earned from May 22 to July 31.
Participants may also log into Beanstack on desktop or laptop computers to track reading and activities. Just log into Beanstack and click “Log Reading and Activities,” then select “Books” if you would like to enter individual books for 20 points each. Select “Minutes” if you would like to enter the amount of time you spent reading (every 15 minutes earns 20 points) or click “Activities” to log points earned by completing activity challenges or using library services. Click “Close” to return to the home screen and see the points and badges earned.
Kids Earn 500 Points to Claim Prizes
Summer Reading Fun participants in the Preschool, Elementary, and Teen programs who earn 500 or more points will earn prizes such as a window decal and treats from local sponsors.
Prizes may be claimed between July 1 and August 3 while supplies last.
All participants who reach 500 points, including adults, will receive a Super Reader window decal.
Additionally, when kids and teens reach 500 points, Beanstack will send an email with instructions to call the library to pick up their prize via an appointment with the library’s Contact-Free Curbside Pickup service.
Families with more than one registered participant in the Preschool, Elementary, and Teen programs should, if possible, schedule one appointment when all participants in the household have earned 500 points.
Prize choices for preschoolers include a shaky egg or storytime scarf.
Prize choices for elementary, middle, and high school students include a Zaxby’s Kidz Meal, a small Wendy’s Frosty, a Fun for Free pass from Stars and Strikes, a McDonald’s ice cream cone, Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers treat (available only at Hampton Park Library), or a Chick-fil-A treat (available only at Hampton Park Library).
Earn Entries for Grand Prize Drawings
All participants will earn one entry into grand prize drawings for every 500 points earned.
Preschool-aged participants could win an Imagine Your Story Grand Prize Book Basket, a Family Games Grand Prize Basket, or Family Passes to INK.
Elementary-aged participants could win a Unicorns Grand Prize Gift Basket, a Dragons Grand Prize Gift Basket, a Harry Potter Grand Prize Gift Basket, Gwinnett Stripers baseball tickets, or an Amazon Kindle Fire 7 Kids Edition.
Teens could win a Book Lovers Grand Prize Basket, a Harry Potter Grand Prize Basket, or a Starbucks Grand Prize Basket.
Adult participants could win an Amazon Kindle Fire 10 or gift certificates to Tam’s Backstage, Costco, or YMCA.
Please Support Summer Reading Fun Sponsors
Summer Reading Fun 2020 is sponsored by these local businesses and organizations: FCPL Friends & Advocates, Stars and Strikes, Chick-fil-A, Zaxby's, Wendy's, McDonald's, Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, Forsyth County Parks and Recreation, COSTCO Wholesale, ink Museum: Interactive Neighborhood for Kids, Cumming Aquatic Center, Warbington Farms, Cumming Country Fair & Festival, Tam's Backstage, Cherry Street Brewing, YMCA, Cumming Pediatric Dentistry, Russell Holcombe of Keller Williams, Gwinnett Stripers, and Mellow Mushroom.
Too much screen time lately? Give your eyes a rest by listening to an eAudiobook from FCPL’s digital library. Or download books to your phone and plug in headphones to enjoy a story while walking. The Libby App makes it easy to access free eAudiobooks from the library.
Here are some of our most popular fiction titles from OverDrive.
